First Love, Last Love

He stood up. ‘I’ll be leaving about seven-thirty if you should change your mind.’

She nodded. ‘Okay.’

But she knew she wouldn’t be going. Parting from Daryl had been upsetting, yes, but knowing she should have been with Alex tonight was what made everything so depressing.

‘You’re looking nice,’ she told Jane as she came into the room at eight o’clock, Steve having already left.

‘Don’t I usually?’ Jane teased.

‘You know you do,’ Lauri smiled.

Jane grimaced. ‘I hope so. This weekend with Robin’s parents is important to me. I have to try and make a good impression, although I must say it seems a little strange at my age.’

Lauri laughed. ‘I wouldn’t like it at any age.’ Especially if Robin’s parents were anything like him! ‘So you really do like Robin?’ she probed.

Her aunt shrugged. ‘He’s steady—and reliable,’ she added almost bitterly. ‘Not too many men can be called that nowadays.’

She had never heard Jane talk this way before—and it worried her. ‘But do you love him?’

‘I—’ Jane broke off as the doorbell rang. ‘That will be him now. When you get to my age, Lauri, you look for more than just love. You become a little more concerned about other aspects of their personality. Robin will never let me down.’

‘But—’

‘I have to let him in, Lauri. One day you’ll know what I mean,’ Jane told her dully.

Lauri’s worried gaze followed her aunt out of the room. Jane couldn’t marry Robin just because he was steady, reliable, and would never let her down! It was no basis for marriage, and she did so want her aunt to be happy.

She sat hunched over her knees in the chair, her denims old and faded, her jumper thin and fitting tautly over her breasts, staring aimlessly into space.

‘Lauri …’

‘Mm?’ She looked up at the sound of Jane’s voice, her eyes widening, her face going pale as she saw the man who stood next to her aunt.

‘Lauri,’ Jane was obviously having difficulty articulating, ‘Mr Blair says the two of you have a dinner date this evening.’

CHAPTER SIX

LAURI stood up. ‘Alex …’

‘Lauren,’ he nodded distantly, very attractive in white dinner jacket, black trousers and snowy white silk shirt.

‘Lauren …?’ Jane echoed sharply. ‘You’re Lauren?’ She looked accusingly at her niece.

Lauri gulped, not understanding any of this. ‘But I—Yesterday Jane said you were in a meeting and couldn’t talk to me, and I—I—’

‘I was in a meeting,’ Alex informed her calmly. ‘And it certainly wasn’t the type of meeting where I could carry on a telephone conversation with you.’

‘But I—’

‘Lauri?’ Jane curtly interrupted. ‘Are you telling me that you are the Lauren who’s been telephoning Al—er—Mr Blair?’

‘Alex will do, Jane,’ he told her deeply, the coldness of his blue eyes momentarily lightened with humour. ‘That’s what you call me in the privacy of the office.’

She gave him a look of deep irritation. ‘Lauri?’ she prompted sharply. ‘Will you kindly tell me what’s going on?’

How could she when she didn’t know herself? Alex being here tonight was as much of a shock to her as it was to Jane. And in spite of his unexpected appearance here he didn’t look any more friendly than he had at their last parting.

Jane shook her head dazedly. ‘I—Mr Blair—’